Well, that breakfast last week was so tasty, I decided to return to the Old Susana Cafe. This time breakfast was just the beginning of the ride. Many miles were to come after my meal.
After the heat from last week, I decided to start earlier. At 7:00 AM I left home and started my way across the San Fernando Valley. The climb over the Santa Susana pass was easier this time with cooler weather, however my trailer was still loaded with gear. This time I had the Arrowhead water bottles as well as my tent and sleeping pad - no Dunn Edwards primer on this trip. By 9:15 I was over the pass and relaxing at the cafe.
A few minutes later Ms. Ahlman, the counselor at Castaic Middle School, rolled up on her bike. She was going to join me on the remainder of the trip. Over many summers Ms. Ahlman and I have taken multiple bike tours, and we have worked our way from Ketchikan Alaska to Los Angeles. This required a lot of pedaling, many rides on ferries amongst the islands of British Columbia and southern Alaska, and time sitting on the side of the road repairing flats.
Today's ride was out to Ventura where we would take in a view of the Channel Islands. We finished our breakfast and started rolling across Simi Valley. the sun already was gaining intensity, and we wanted to reach the cool of the coast as soon as possible. However, luck was against us, and we had not yet reached the west side of Simi Valley when the first flat tire stopped our progress. Fortunately we were next to a gas station, and we were able to use their compressor to fill Ms. Ahlman's tire. After about thirty minutes our wheels were rolling again - yet within a matter of minutes the tire was again flat. At this time we called for help. A friend drove up with another bike, and we switched over her gear and took off toward the coast.
If you went on the first grade field trip last year or the year before, you know where we rode. Our path took us right by Underwood Family Farms where our first graders go to learn about farming and harvest vegetables. From there we coast down the Santa Rosa Valley and into Camarillo. It wasn't all coasting. What looks flat in a car never is on a bicycle. We rolled into Camarillo searching for a coastal breeze and a bite to eat. The breakfast was long gone, and we both were in need of energy. A rest at Blimpies with a turkey sub and some Gatorade refreshed us, and we clipped our shoes into our pedals and rolled across Camarillo.
Oxnard came next with fields full of crops. Strawberries were done for the season, but lemon groves and other vegetable fields filled the air with a refreshing fragrance. the coastal breeze was not blowing, and we chugged along appreciating the shade from the eucalyptus trees lining the rural roads between Ventura and Oxnard.
Finally, about 3:30 we pulled onto Seaward Avenue. There we found the ocean air and cool breeze we had been seeking. Friends were waiting to take us home - not riding back to Los Angeles today. We freshened up and washed the road dirt off of our faces before we sat down to a delicious burger.
Overall I was on the road for 8 and 1/2 hours and about 70 miles. It was a good training ride, and I am feeling geared up for the trek from San Francisco to Castaic. Can you figure out my average speed for the trip? Assume I was actually pedaling for seven of the hours. What was my rate of speed? Can you name any missions that I was close to on this trip? Does anyone know the names of the islands off the coast of Ventura? Last question: What is the title of the book about a girl who lives on the Channel Islands when California is just being discovered and settled? If you have any answers to these questions, email your answers to me at cesblogger@sbcglobal.net
